Lantana plant named ‘LAN 876’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lantana  plant named ‘LAN 876’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; relatively large leaves; freely flowering habit; and large flowers that are initially yellow in color and become orange red in color with development.

Botanical designation: Lantana camara.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LAN 876’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plant, botanically known as Lantana camara and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LAN 876’.

The new Lantana plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bolzano, Italy. The objective of the breeding program is to create new rounded freely-flowering Lantana plants with attractive flower coloration.

The new Lantana plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2007 in Bolzano, Italy of Lantana camara ‘LAN 508’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Lantana camara ‘Calippo Tutti Frutti’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lantana plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bolzano, Italy in August, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lantana plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bolzano, Italy since November, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Lantana plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lantana have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LAN 876’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LAN 876’ as a new and distinct Lantana plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Relatively large leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large flowers that are initially yellow in color and become         orange red in color with development.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘LAN 508’. Plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of ‘LAN 508’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana are more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of ‘LAN 508’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lantana and ‘LAN 508’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘LAN 508’ have yellow-colored flowers that         become pink in color with development.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Calippo Tutti Frutti’. Plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of ‘Calippo Tutti Frutti’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana are more vigorous than and not as         compact as plants of ‘Calippo Tutti Frutti’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lantana are more outwardly spreading than         and not as upright as plants of ‘Calippo Tutti Frutti’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lantana and ‘Calippo Tutti Frutti’ in         flower color as plants of ‘Calippo Tutti Frutti’ differ have red         purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the Lantana camara ‘Bante Rossa’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,148. Plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of ‘Bante Rossa’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana are more vigorous than and not as         compact as plants of ‘Bante Rossa’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lantana and ‘Bante Rossa’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Bante Rossa’ have purple pink and         yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lantana plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lantana plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LAN 876’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LAN 876’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. under commercial practices typical of commercial Lantana production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 29° C. to 37° C., night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 21° C. and light levels ranged from 8,000 to 10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched two times and were ten weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lantana camara ‘LAN 876’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Lantana camara ‘LAN 508’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Lantana camara ‘Calippo Tutti             Frutti’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 16° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at 16° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 18 days             at 16° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 21 days             at 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy; thin; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading             plant habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm by 37 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about three to             four primary lateral branches per plant; each primary             lateral branch with potentially two secondary lateral             branches developing at each node; pinching enhances lateral             branch development.         -   Length.—About 21 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Pubescent; coarse.         -   Color.—Close to 146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse with attenuate tendencies.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; coarse, rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 146D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Solitary tubular             flowers arranged in terminal and axillary hemispherical             umbels; flowers face mostly upward or outward; freely             flowering habit with about 42 flowers developing per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Lantana flower             continuously from spring until frost in the autumn in             Southern California; plants begin flowering about ten weeks             after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About two to three days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faint, fruity, raspberry-like.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             four-parted. Diameter: About 9 mm by 11 mm. Depth (height):             About 1.5 cm. Throat diameter: About 1 mm. Tube diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Tube length: About 1.1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Elongate, oblong. Color: Close to N34C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of four fused petals.             Petal lobe length: About 5 mm. Petal lobe width: About 5 mm.             Petal lobe shape: Rounded. Petal lobe apex: Rounded. Petal             margin: Entire to slightly erose. Petal texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Petal texture, lower             surface: Pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface:             Close to 12A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 11C.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 12A; with development,             color shifts to 31A to 31B and eventually becoming closer to             N34C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 12C; with             development, color shifts to 35C to 35D. Throat: Close to             11B. Tube: Close to 1C.         -   Calyx.—Appearance: Short and narrow tubular calyx with four             fused sepals. Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,             inner surface: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal texture, outer             surface: Pubescent. Sepal color, inner and outer surfaces:             Close to 145C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close             to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Four             per flower, adnate to floral tube. Filament length: About             6 mm. Filament color: Close to 145C. Anther shape: Oval.             Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 4A.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 4B. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma             shape: Oval. Stigma color: Close to 145C. Style length:             About 3.5 mm. Style color: Close to 157A. Ovary color: Close             to 145B. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed development have             not been observed on plants of the new Lantana. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lantana have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lantana have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Lantana     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lantana plant named ‘LAN 876’ as illustrated and described. 